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ILLINOIS HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS
the Village finding it impossible to make their way good, they
concealed themselves in a barn, sending from time to time one of
their Number to explore and make report, but as they emploied
Canadians, none of them return'd-The Militia of the Fort had
been order'd under arms in the evening. The Major, Le gras, and
one of the Captains, Bosseron, with several of the Private Men
being reported absent, I suspected treachery, the two Officers
however made their appearance at sunset. About 5 minutes after
candles had been lighted we were alarmed by hearing a Musquet
discharged;presentlyaftersomemore, I concluded that some party
of Indians was return'd or that there was some riotous frolic in the
Village, going upon the Parade to enquire I heard the Balls whistle,
order'd the Men to the Blockhouses, forbidding them to fire till
they perceived the shot to be directed against the Fort. We were
shortly out of suspence, one of the serjeants receiving a shot in the
breast. The fire was now return'd, but the enemy had a great
advantage from their Rifles, and the cover of the Church, Houses,
Barns, c. Mr. McBeath the surgeon having been in the Village
when the firing began, push'd to get to the Gate, and narrowly
escaped being kill'd, he reported that as soon as the first shots were
fired, the Woman of the house where he was told him that Colonel
Clarke was arrived with 500 Men from the Ilinois. This very
house had lately been searched in the night on suspicion of a
stranger being conceald, but the serjeant and party could not
discover any such person-Tho' the night was dark we had a
Serjeant Matross and five Men wounded. The weather was still
so cold we were obliged to bring the Wounded into our own quar-
ters. The Officers who had continued in tents all the winter were
exposed to the fire of the enemy's riflemen as the picketting of the
Fort was so poorly set up that one might pass the hand clench'd,
between the Stockades. We dislodged the enemy from the Church,
and nearest houses by a few cannon shot from the Blockhouses,
but when day appeared and we saw that the Inhabitants of the
Village had joined the Rebels, we despaired of Captain La Mothe's
party regaining the fort, but to our great surprize and joy about
half-an-hour before sunrise they appear'd and got into the Fort
over the Stockades which were upright, and 11 feet out of the
ground, with their Arms in their hands. Two Canadians of his
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